The US Federal Aviation Administration has granted Boeing an amended type certificate for the 737-7, authorising the smallest 737 MAX variant for commercial service after nearly a decade of review. The decision, which also updates Boeing Production Certificate No. 700, removes the final regulatory barrier for the Seattle-built aircraft and allows the programme to move into production and delivery readiness.
The certification process, which began in 2018, involved more than 1,000 hours of flight and ground testing, together with system safety and human-factors reviews. Boeing incorporated changes to the flight-control software, flightcrew alerting system and a redesigned engine anti-ice system before clearance was granted.
The FAA described the work as the result of almost a decade of extensive review. Boeing said the approval clears the way for delivery of the first aircraft, although no delivery date was disclosed in the official updates. Reuters and Bloomberg syndication reported that deliveries can begin once final production preparations are complete.